The Last Thing I Said Was
by purple.queen6
Summary: Stella has to make oneofthemost important decisions of her life. Leave or stay? What will she choose?


**AN: Hey guys, this is my first SMAcked story! My muse was insisting that I write this and I couldn't get this idea out of my head. I haven't written much about Stella and Mac so I hope I haven't made them to OOC. This was inspired by a scene from the movie Where the Heart Is. Anyway I kind of wish they had Stella in at least another episode to show more about why she left instead of it being barely mentioned. I like Jo, but there is way too much of her. She was in almost every scene in last week's episode. I feel like everyone but Mac and Jo are being pushed aside. They never did this when Lindsay came. I think the other characters like Adam, Hawkes, and Sid should be in more scenes. And I was reading some interviews saying Sela wanted Mac and Jo together and I was like, Heck No! It'd be way too weird. Besides, I think Stella and Mac had better chemistry. Actually the whole cast had better chemistry with Stella than with Jo. Anyway, I just needed to get that out, so on with the story!**

"Really? Of courseI'll think about it." Stella said before hanging up the phone. She had just been offered a job in New Orleans. Mac's job to be specific. Stella had always wanted to be the head of a lab someday. But when she came to New York all those years ago to be Mac's second in command, that had changed.

She loved where she worked. And most of all she loved spending time with Mac. They got together a few years ago after Peyton left and they couldn't be happier. Even though she hadn't said she loved him yet, she did. She wanted to go to New Orleans, she really did, she felt she was ready to run a lab, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave Mac.

As if he sensed something wrong, Mac knocked on the open door of Stella's office, grabbing her attention before walking inside.

"Hey. Are you okay? You seem a little stressed," Mac said sitting down next to Stella and holding her hand.

"Um, I just got a call. From the crime lab in New Orleans," Stella said slowly.

"Really? What did they want?" Mac said, surprised. He was used to recieving calls from New Jersey and states closer to New York, but never New Orleans.

"Actually, they offered me a job. They want me to run the crime lab. The man running the lab just retired," Stella said, cautious of Mac's reaction. She knew him too well. He, like Lindsay was no good at goodbyes. Not the she was leaving for certain, she reminded herself. He'd never had a chance to say goodbye to Claire and she knew it haunted him. With Peyton, he'd had a chance but he hadn't any clue as to how tolet her go. But he managed. He would manage without her. Mac is a strong man, he's seen more than any man his age should see. Good and bad.

Mac interrupted Stella's thoughts and said, "Are you leaving?"

"I'm not sure," She admitted, "I've always wanted to run a lab, but I don't want to leave you."

Mac then knew that Stellawould stay for him. Only if he asked her to. He couldn't do that to her. She had so much potential, and often he felt that her potential was being wasted being his second in command when she could do so much better. Even if it killed him, he knew Stella needed to take this oppurtunity.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. This is your future. And if it is New Orleans, then I'll accept it."

"I'd like some alone time,now,if you don't mind. I'd like to think about it," Stella said quietly.

Mac was taken aback. Stella never asked to be alone before. Then he realized what he must have sounded like. He sound like he wanted her to leave. Mac knew Stella was hurt by this and the best way to make this right was to givehertime.

"Alright," Mac said, standing up and kissing Stella on the forehead before leaving.

Stella was hurt. Mac seemed like he wanted her to leave. Maybe she should, she thought. Like he said, it was her future that would be affected. The crime lab in New Orleans would lead to a stable future, unlike with Mac. They could break up anytime because their future together was undefinite. They weren't in a serious relationship. If she stayed here and she and Mac didn't work out she will have thrown away a great oppurtunity to move foward in her career.

Then, Stella picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello? It's Stella Bonasera. About that job offer..."

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Stella recieved the call from New Orleans. She and Mac hadn'tspent a lot of time together because she had to pack up all of her things. In a few hours she would be leaving New York, Mac and the rest of the team. She was determined to tell Mac she loved him. She hoped he would say it back. Stella thought this was a bad to to say thse three little words but, maybe, just maybe she was looking for an excuse not to go.

The man who had been occupying Stella's mind walked down the hall, towards her. He assumed he wasgoing to his office to pack up his stuff. The whole crime lab had thrown her a going away party.

"Mac," she called.

Mac turned around and smiled at her, "How did you like the party?"

"It was nice. I'll miss everyone though," Stella took a deep breath, this was her chance," Listen, Mac, I've been meaning to tell you something before I left."

"What did you want to tell me?"

"I-I love you," She said quietly.

Mac simply stared at her.

Stella immediately blushed. She wasn't one to blush, but she felt very awkward standing there.

"Mac, um,do you love me?" She asked him quietly.

Mac couldn't describe how he felt when Stella said she loved him. He never thought a wonderful woman like Stella would fall for him. He loved her, so much. But he couldn't let Stella pass up the job offer. She could be so much happier. Mac knew that if he said he loved her, she would change her mind and stay here.

"No," Mac lied, feeling terrible.

Stella took a deep breath and said, "Um, well, okay. I just wanted to get that off of my chest beofre I leave," Stella fought back tears and said, "Goodbye Mac."

"Goodbye Stella," he said, giving her a hug, fighting back tears aswell.

Stella pulled away from him and walked towards the elevators. She had to go or else she would miss her flight.

Mac felt horrible as he watched Stella, one of the best things that ever happened to him, walk out of thecrime lab, out of his life.

Mac knew he had made the worst decision of his life. He had to stop her. Mac ran out of his office, down the hall and into the elevaor. Once the elevator stopped, he nearly ran itno another mumbled some apologies and rushed out the doors, searchingfor her.

But she was already gone.

**AN: Well, that was kinda I guess it was a given that their wouldn't be a happy ending. Because she left. I hope youguys liked it anyway.**


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